The king said, “Well, friend! has the horse had his bath and his drink?”
“It has, my Lord!”
“Why, then, did it refuse at first?”
“Just in this way,” said he; and told him all.
The king gave the Bodisat much honour, saying, “He understands the motives even of such an animal as this. How wise he is!” And at the end of this life he passed away according to his deeds. And the Bodisat too passed away according to his deeds.
When the Master had finished this discourse in illustration of his saying (“Not now only, O mendicants, have I known this man’s motive; formerly also I did so”), he made the connexion, and summed up the Jātaka, by saying, “The state charger of that time was this monk, the King was Ānanda, but the wise minister was I myself.”
END OF THE STORY OF THE FORD.
No. 26.
MAHILĀ-MUKHA JĀTAKA.
Evil communications corrupt good manners.
“By listening first to robbers’ talk,” etc.[308]—This the Master told when at Jetavana, about Devadatta. Devadatta became well-pleasing to Prince Ajāta-sattu, and had great gain and honour. The Prince had a monastery built for him at Gayā-sīsa, and five hundred vessels-full of food made of the finest old fragment-rice provided for him daily. Through this patronage Devadatta’s following increased greatly, and he lived with his disciples in that monastery.